Roof Top Tent or Ground Tent?

[OverlandNYC]

I don't think having an opinion different from yours on RTT's constitutes bashing. Opinions from differing points of view help me make decisions.

I'm describing a very selective non-argument point of view which is becoming more apparent. Ah, here's a good example with the emphasis added...

I'm with Michael, I also prefer the ground tent. I cant see paying thousands of dollars for a RTT. People have a misconception that they are safer in a RTT, people forget bears, racoons, etc climb and can get to your RTT with ease. Lets face it, a RTT is worth a few hundred bucks, but you pay thousands for it. $8000usd for an alu-cab, please give me a break. You also lose your roof rack being that the tent is using the space, so this means you need to put everything in the truck. RTT look sweet that's about it.

Sorry; "I can't afford it" thus "it's stupid" isn't an argument.

What makes you think it's worth a few hundred bucks? Have you done research into the materials, construction, and operational cost of producing a RTT? I think you're a little off base.

A lot of times we think things are over priced because they're simply outside our means to afford them. Or we'd simply never pay that price. (I would never pay XYZ for X is pretty reasonable.) Mostly because we lack understanding of how much it truly costs to produce or what it's actual value to us may be.

Recently I had a friend staying with me to help me build a RTT rack and skid plates and bumper. He's a mechanical engineer and fabricator and I had no idea about the amount of time that went into just designing something properly. Talking 8hr days, measurements and designing in SolidWorks. The time spent getting steel, and actually fabricating. really changed my perspective on the prices of things. I had thought for some time a lot of the racks out there were obscenely over priced. Now I realize only a few are over priced, but most are probably not getting rich off the racks they sell and I was really wrong on that front.

That being said, I highly doubt that a RTT is worth a few hundred bucks. Especially since aluminum panels which most have would be a few hundred bucks for just the floor.

Using space on your roof rack is a better argument. You should stick to that complaint.

Or a better argument from the price standpoint is that you just don't feel the return on investment is worth the initial cost for you. That'd be reasonable. Some just don't see it worth paying the price just sleep on a flat surface with a mattress. They feel they can get the same reward with a ground tent and cot for example. That's a valid point I feel.

Everyone's "was it worth the investment" is a little different. And we all tend to like what we have. Thus we tend to rationalize our decisions to ourselves and others.

Your entitled to your opinion, as am I . Dont be a troll. I can get a RTT from alibaba for $300usd. One that is just as good as any other RTT that cost thousands. There is no justification for paying thousands for a RTT. Especially and $8000 RTT. I can afford to purchase one but choose not to. It's like throwing money out the window. Same with trailers. 35k for an overland trailer, please. Talk about being suckered in. I could see 5k to 15k, but 35k is absurd. Eveything pertaining to overlanding is outrageously priced. Like they say, there's a sucker born every minute. Enjoy your overpriced RTT and trailers.

 

[3wbdriver]

Having just spent 24 hours at the Appalachian Toyota Roundup at Windrock Park in Tennessee I can honestly say they both have their advantages. I had been camping with a Coleman 8 man cabin tent and 2 cots until this year. It was great for setting up a base camp in one location and wheeling over a weekend at a closed park. But I wheel with friends who have RTT's mostly on trailers who enjoy the same base camp idea while just disconnecting from the trailer.



I impulse bought a Tepui Ayer RTT at the Lone Star Jamboree in Texas in May and after waiting a month for a supplier to send me their adapter mounts I cancelled the order and fabbed up some of my own. So it was mounted the first weekend in June and I was a happy camper except for the fact that it is too hot to tent camp in Louisiana between mid June and October.



Enter the ATR Labor day weekend. I got there Thursday night early enough to set up the tent and awning. I then spent the next 24 hours either in the tent or under the awning because TS Harvey had chased me all the way up from Louisiana, and it rained for most of that 24 hour period. The tent slept great and was very comfortable. I just didn't feel like breaking camp in the rain to get on the trails. I finally gave up Friday about hour before dark, packed everything up between a couple of rain showers, and left defeated by the weather.



In hindsight, had I packed and used the Cabin tent and a cot I could have set up a base camp, and at least got in some trail runs on Friday during the day. But since my camp was anchored to the vehicle I didn't have that option. Or I just wasn't gung-ho enough to use the option as designed.

By the same token, had I had the RTT in 2015 when I took a 28 day 8100 mile trip, I could have saved more than the price of the tent on motel costs. Especially in the eastern half of the country where most "campsites" seem to cater to the RV crowd over tenters. It would have been perfect for setting up at night at the end of a drive at a truck stop, Walmart, or state scale area and packing in the morning to move on. Right now I am looking at trailers so I can move the RTT to one of those. But that will be next year sometime before I can pull the trigger so I have plenty of time to think about it.

 

[OffroadTreks]

Your entitled to your opinion, as am I . Dont be a troll. I can get a RTT from alibaba for $300usd. One that is just as good as any other RTT that cost thousands. There is no justification for paying thousands for a RTT. Especially and $8000 RTT. I can afford to purchase one but choose not to. It's like throwing money out the window. Same with trailers. 35k for an overland trailer, please. Talk about being suckered in. I could see 5k to 15k, but 35k is absurd. Eveything pertaining to overlanding is outrageously priced. Like they say, there's a sucker born every minute. Enjoy your overpriced RTT and trailers.

It's spelled "YOU'RE"

Whose the troll here?

I also own an Airstream.

You do seem to have an opinion. That much is clear. But no real arguments to add to the discussion. Shame.

 

[Kcrkolby]

Ground tent for me. 1) for useable space 2) not always taking my main rig 3) Most the time i leave camp where it is and wheel our of there. On hunting trips i leave my camp in 1 spot but drive out for the day. 4) $$$

 

[vegasjeepguy]

It's spelled "YOU'RE"

Whose the troll here?

I also own an Airstream.

You do seem to have an opinion. That much is clear. But no real arguments to add to the discussion. Shame.

Those Airstreams are ridiculously expensive...

 

[Itacal]

The way we typically camp is to set up a base station with a tent, offload a bunch of weight (inside or around the tent), and then explore the trails in the area with a somewhat lighter vehicle and with more room inside. This means invariably for us a rugged canvas Springbar tent that is heavy in every way: heavy poles, thick canvas, strong metal zippers, over-engineered steel stakes that don't bind repeated whacks with sledge hammers. My thinking is, I would rather expend some effort when I am awake and usually in the daylight setting up a heavy canvas tent--it might take 30 minutes tops if I am doing it alone, half that if I have helpers--than realizing there is a problem in a windstorm at 3:15am and having to get out in the dark with a flashlight to deal with it, thereby making the next day not as fun because I am grumpy and sleep-deprived. There is something about the solidity and securty of heavy canvas -- it doesn't buffet in the winds as much as nylon fabics -- that allows me to sleep better at night when camping. I am a sensitive sleeper; the constant din of a nylon fly flapping against a nylon tent doesn't make for the best night's sleep. So it is either a Springbar or Kodiak canvas tent for me.

Totally agree ... The idea of an RTT is appealing, but just not practical for me and what I do ... I will generally camp in one place for several days and drive around to different places to fish. I have a Kodiak Canvas Cabin tent and it has withstood 50 mph winds and heavy rains without a single issue. If I lived in a part of the country where wildlife was an issue, I could see the practicality. But I just can't justify the expense for one considering where I generally camp and how I camp. That being said, if I ever win the lottery, I will definitely have a James Baroud Evasion XXL ...

 

[Thelgord]

I don't own an RTT, but I did sleep stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night ... LOL! ;)

Seriously though, I do not own an RTT, but a friend of mine does (a CVT), and he loves it. We were camping on the beach here in GA a couple of months back, and when I pulled my ground tent out it had a huge tear in the side of it. Still don't know what happened to it, but I ended up sleeping in the RTT. A storm decided roll in overnight and the truck swayed so much in the high wind I though I was going to get sea sick. Granted this is most likely a one-off situation, but I never felt unsecure and I think my thin ground tent probably wouldn't have faired that well. We stayed in the tent until the winds became more manageable before heading to our next camp site, around 10 am.

However, as others have said, it really depends on the setup you already have in place. An RTT may make sense if you have a lot of internal storage, like a pickup or a mid sized SUV. If you have a smaller vehicle, such as a Jeep CJ or YJ, or as in my case an Isuzu Vehicross, then you may be better off with a ground tent and a roof rack to increase storage. If you have limited cargo space, but only need to carry enough supplies or a day or two, then an RTT may work even with a smaller vehicle, but if you are going to be "off the grid" more than a couple of days, then you need to pack a lot more food, water, fuel, etc...

I have yet to replace my tent, and I am looking at options. One option I am looking at is the "Cot Tent".

 

[TerryD]

I enjoyed the video. We are a family of 5 that do many types to travel so a RTT isn't practical for us. We have a 10 man Coleman Instant Cabin Tent as well as a 4 man version of the same tent. When I go solo, I usually use my hammock and tarp. These seem to suit us perfectly for now.

 

[buckwilk]

It's spelled "YOU'RE"

Whose the troll here?

I also own an Airstream.

You do seem to have an opinion. That much is clear. But no real arguments to add to the discussion. Shame.

What are you so angry and defensive about ? Every member doesn't have to meet your requirements to have an opinion or to post. Mellow out.

 

[vegasjeepguy]

What are you so angry and defensive about ? Every member doesn't have to meet your requirements to have an opinion or to post. Mellow out.

This thread has digressed a bit, but I understand and share where BoldAdventure is coming from. The discussion originated with a discussion of RTT v ground tent, presenting the strengths and weaknesses of each. And then the "you're stupid for spending so much on that" started. Those of us who have used almost every tent type available and have chosen a RTT have done so because the benefit outweighs the cost and our decision is informed and reasoned.

 

[buckwilk]

This thread has digressed a bit, but I understand and share where BoldAdventure is coming from. The discussion originated with a discussion of RTT v ground tent, presenting the strengths and weaknesses of each. And then the "you're stupid for spending so much on that" started. Those of us who have used almost every tent type available and have chosen a RTT have done so because the benefit outweighs the cost and our decision is informed and reasoned.

I agree, denigrating another's decision with negative words accomplishes nothing. I must disagree with where BA is coming from. Correcting spelling? Shame? It is this kind of attack that stops many from posting. A post saying stupid does not require an unreasonable attack, rather it should be overlooked in the same way it would be in a face to face conversation. Respecting others decisions is an important part of coming to a decision. The type of equipment we use is personal and most have used informed and reasoned thought to get there.

 

[000]

For those w/ a RTT, how noticeable is it if you're not parked on level ground, do you roll at night? Does it affect your sleep? Does finding level ground ever become an issue? With multiple rigs all trying to find a spot?

I stuck a couple of Rv type levels with adhesive backs on my hard shell rtt and that gets me close enough, I either throw a rock or something under a tire or I've also dug a small hole to drive into to level it close enough. I mostly worry about side to side and just sleep with my head facing the up hill side. With a soft rtt you could do the same thing, sticking a couple of levels on the rack or whatever when the truck is on a known level surface.


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[000]

I actually like seeing people spend crazy amounts of money on their rigs and gear. It's neat stuff to me and I like seeing what is possible. If they have it to spend, what do I care? It also ends up benefiting those of us who can't. Either someone will figure out a way to make it affordable, or you'll end up getting it used when they're done with it. I got my autohome airtop used for half price because someone with more money than me decided they didn't want it anymore. I really like my rtt and don't think that I'll ever not have one having used it regularly for quite awhile now. If someone else, like my brother likes to sleep on his cot under a tarp, or another guy has the dough for one of those sweet AT habitat shells, good for them and good for us!


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[vegasjeepguy]

I must disagree with where BA is coming from. Correcting spelling? Shame? It is this kind of attack that stops many from posting. A post saying stupid does not require an unreasonable attack, rather it should be overlooked in the same way it would be in a face to face conversation. Respecting others decisions is an important part of coming to a decision. The type of equipment we use is personal and most have used informed and reasoned thought to get there.

The trolls were starting to come out on this thread. I can't cite references from posts if you like, but I think the point was made

 

[TheRainMan]

I've had both. RTT sounded better when I first started - but the few advantages soon were outweighed by the numerous disadvantages: Tiny, crawling up and down your rig, putting everything away to move the truck, no 'base-camp' option. I sold mine and bought an Oztent RV5 and have zero regrets. Most of the advantages of a RTT - with far fewer of the disadvantages. Sets up in minutes and you have a tent you can stand up and maneuver in. Throw in a couple of cots and you have a safari setup.

Some of the disadvantages of a RTT in terms of setup time would be neutralized by purchasing an Alu-cab type that just pops up. My oztent sets up almost as fast as my old CVT and offers me much more flexibility. Kicked around purchasing an Alu-cab in order to amp up the convenience factor, but in the end decided that the limitations from my experience w a RTT trumped the convenience it affords.




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[OffroadTreks]

Everyone's definitions are different.

Some of the disadvantages of a RTT in terms of setup time would be neutralized by purchasing an Alu-cab type that just pops up. My oztent sets up almost as fast as my old CVT and offers me much more flexibility. Kicked around purchasing an Alu-cab in order to amp up the convenience factor, but in the end decided that the limitations from my experience w a RTT trumped the convenience it affords.

Yup, really depends on how you use stuff and what suits you. Even your platform can change the pros and cons.

One of the common themes, I've seen with RTT's is that setup because it's so high isn't as easy as it seems. Especially on SUV's.

For us, with my truck and the Ram Boxes, I can actually step up on the tire and then walk completely around my tent. I think this is a great example of how even the pros and cons can change with different setups.



Becuase we're in a truck, we'd been ground camping in a tent for some time. I should also note, we have 2 little girls. Building a rack and adding the tent allowed me to free up a lot of our bed space. Before the truck, we had an SUV. I have a build thread for that rig here on this site too. And with that setup the ground tent worked a lot better. Becuase we made use of the roof for our rack and gear storage.

We can't attack each other because we think X or Z is silly. But we can help each other see all the options, become aware of pros or cons and limitations in our own setups.

And @buckwilk trust me, not angry. But sometimes you just gotta feed the trolls ;) Rule #1 of life - never let someone else control your emotional state.

 

[shoredreamer]

I actually feel like RTTs and dispersed/off grid/wild/remote camping is a pretty good value on the wallet. We had a Tepui and spent 56 nights in it, I bought it for $1100 which seemed ridiculous at the time. But we made a decision that we'd try it out, and 2 years later, it was time to upgrade so we decided to sell it and I easily sold it in a day to someone for $700. So in all: we net $400 spent for 56 nights=$7.14 per night. And if you don't camp in a campground or pay to camp, you're weekend just got that much cheaper.

Yes overlanding can be pricey especially since it's grown over the past few years and companies are capitalizing on the trend, but RTTs hold their value pretty well. My rule though, is try to buy gear at a discount or sale price to be able to cover the resell/buying gap and take care of it. Pass it on to someone else when you no longer need it.

 

[Brandon Harvey]

For those who use RTT; would you provide some guidance for a newbie interested in getting an RTT on how and what you use to level your rig? I have seen photo's of people using devices but what is the preferred device? Leveling or Blocks?

 

[Stone74]

For those who use RTT; would you provide some guidance for a newbie interested in getting an RTT on how and what you use to level your rig? I have seen photo's of people using devices but what is the preferred device? Leveling or Blocks?

My rtt is on a trailer and it has leveling jacks at all four. I use wood blocks as bases, I carry a variety of blocks for that purpose. And for the Hi-lift.

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[OffroadTreks]

For those who use RTT; would you provide some guidance for a newbie interested in getting an RTT on how and what you use to level your rig? I have seen photo's of people using devices but what is the preferred device? Leveling or Blocks?

I have been using Anderson Levelers on my Airstream for some time, they're great because you don't really need a second person. Just back onto them to level.

I just take them with me, and back my truck onto them depending on which side needs to be leveled. Works like a charm with the truck too. Although, the truck's tires are much larger and they look a bit silly. But so far working great.